Does Adobe Help Chrome Security?

True or false: One of the open source Chrome browser’s key differences — an integrated Adobe flash player — makes it more secure.

For as long as there have been Web browsers, there have been debates about which browser is the most secure. In the modern world of Web based attacks, security isn’t just about the Web browser, but also about the applications and plugins that a browser uses. That’s where Google’s Chrome differs from every other major browser vendor.

Chrome includes an integrated Adobe Flash Player. While other vendors including Microsoft IE, Mozilla Firefox and Apple Safari support Flash, it is not directly integrated.

Going a step further, Google has a silent updating mechanism that updates Chrome users to the latest version of the browser as well as the latest version of Flash Player. In some cases, Chrome users may get the Flash update as many as 12 hours ahead of the general availability from Adobe for other browsers.

„We’re really excited about the integration of Flash Player and Chrome,“ Brad Arkin, senior director of Product Security and Privacy at Adobe told InternetNews.com. „It allows people to piggyback on the proven updater that Chrome has and take advantage of it.“

Arkin noted that nearly everyone that uses a Web browser has Flash installed. As part of Chrome Flash is updated effortlessly for the user. Security researchers in past years have called out Adobe for the number of out-of-date Flash users. Outside of Chrome, Flash users have typically had to update the plugin themselves.